Small Town
by ericaa leighh
Summary: Gabriella has moved around her whole life. When she and her mom find themselves in Albuquerque, New Mexico while attending East High she'll unknowingly capture the heart of the school's notorious bad boy leaving a mark on his heart and her life forever.


_Gabriella has moved around her whole life. When she and her mom find themselves in Albuquerque, New Mexico while attending East High she unknowingly captures the heart of the school's notorious bad boy leaving a mark on his heart and her life forever. _

**- - - - - - **

"Promise you'll keep in touch." Gabriella's friend said as she pulled her into a loving hug. She was standing in what was once her bedroom, which was now empty and the last boxes being taken away. Gabriella was moving, _again. _She had moved seven times in the last sixteen years, and this move wasn't any easier. Gabriella couldn't really remember how she ended up in Pilahatchee Mississippi. Small towns didn't get any smaller than Pilahatchee, with a population of less than five hundred Gabriella had grown to love it and the people who lived there. Which didn't make moving any less painful.

"Of course Em, I'm going to miss you so much." Gabriella said pulling Emily into another hug, holding back tears. Gabriella had met Emily on her first day at Pilahatchee High School a little over a year and a half ago. Gabriella was surprised that even in a town as small as Pilahatchee she had managed to find the closest friends she had ever had. Now she was moving again; being forced to start over again.

"Here," Emily said removing her cowboy hat from her head and placing it on Gabriella's. Out of all the places that Gabriella had ever lived, the south was always her favorite. She had lived all over the country, but there was something about southern hospitality and the people from that south that had always made her feel at _home_. She'd always miss and forever remember the friendliness, relaxed, and way of life that the south had offered her.

"Oh Em, you don't-" Gabriella started.

"I've got three more at home." Emily insisted, as Gabriella fitted the hat more firmly on her head. "I don't know how fashionable it will be in Albuquerque." Emily finished as the last box was removed from Gabriella's room. Gabriella looked around once more, she was leaving; she was really leaving.

" I don't know what I am going to do without you." Gabriella said pulling Emily into one last hug.

"You'll be fine." Emily replied as Gabriella's mom walked into the room. Gabriella knew that was her signal that the car was ready and it was time to go and to say her final goodbye. The three of them made there way out of the door and down the front porch, Gabriella took a last look at was once her house. Then looked at her car and the moving truck behind it. Gabriella and Emily with linked arms walked down the driveway and towards the car; stopping at the curb.

"Come on honey, we don't want to hit traffic." Gabriella's mom said, waving Gabriella over towards the car. Gabriella looked at her mom half glaring, half crying. Gabriella gave Emily one last hug, walked over to the car door, opened the passenger seat, and slid it. Wiping the tears off her cheek and from under her eyes Gabriella waved at Emily from the inside of the car. Looking at her mom, Gabriella couldn't believe how casual she was being about this. They had moved so many times and each time her mom seemed to be less effected than the last, while each time it got harder for Gabriella.

"You may be used to leaving, but I'll never be." Gabriella said bitterly towards her mom as they passed the town sign that read "You Are Now Leaving Pilahatchee" and exited onto the highway.

_No I cannot forget where it is that I come from,_

_I cannot forget the people who love me._

_Yeah, I can be myself here in this small town,_

_And people let me be just what I want to be._

**- - - - - - **

_This is only a quarter of the first chapter, but I'd thought it would make a good preview for the story. For all those hopeless romantics out there like myself, if you have any ideas or suggestions about Troy, how Troy and Gabriella should meet, or any other ideas for the story. I'd love to hear what you have to say. _


End file.
